Water heater



Nov. 27, 1928. 1,693,254

- I J. M. ROWLEY WATER HEATER Filed April 5, 1927 1 the heater.

Patented mi. 21, was.

:ms is. .BOWLEY, or

ammo, NEW YORK.

mm HEATED.

Application fled April 5,

This invention relates to a water heater which is more particularly intended for utilizing the flame of a gas or oil burner as the heating medium, and it has for its object the rovislon of a heater of-this character wherey watermay be heated more rapidly and economically and it is possible to easily andreadily remove any sediment which may accumulate in the heater and thus maintain the 1 same in the highest state of efliciency. In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical section ofa water boiler equipped with myimproved heater. Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of Figure 3 is a vertical cross section of the heater taken on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the body of the heater showing one form of the water channel or conduit therein. Figure 5 is a '20 similar view showing another form of the water channel or conduit in the body.

In the following description similar characters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings. I

The numeral represents a water boiler or tank of any. suitable construction which is provided on one side vith a cold or low temperature water supp y pipe. 11 and on its opposite side with a hot water delivery pipe 30 -12. On one side of the bottom of the tank the same is provided with a drain valve 13 and adjacent to the outlet of the supply pipe the tank contains a thermostat 14 which automatically controls avalve 15 whereby the flow of gas through a fuel supply pipe 16 to burner 17 is regulated in accor ance with the requirements of the water in the tank.

Between the underside of the tank and the upper side of the burner is arranged the heater which embodies my invent-ion and which is constructed as follows:

The numeral 18 represents the upper part or body of the heater which ispreferably constructed of cast iron. On its underside this body is provided with a channel or conduit through which the water to be heated" is conducted. In the form of the channel shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the same consists of theplurality of concentric sections 19, 20, 2.1,- which communicate, with each other by radial passages 122, which latter are staggered relatively to each other so that the water flowing successively through the several conduit sec-. tions will follow circuitous paths and thereby retard the flow of water and subject the same 1921. Serial No. must.

for a lon er period to the heating effect of the gas ame from the burner or other external heating medium. The outermost section of the water channelor conduit-19 is provided with an inlet 22 and the same is somewhat larger in cross section than the inner sections 20 so as to distribute the water uniformly overthe entire areaof the body as it flows toward the center thereof. The innermost" section 21 of the channel or conduit 19 which is arranged at the center of the body is enlarged so as to form an ex ansion chamber which projects upwardly rom the body and is provided at its upper end with an outlet 23. The inlet of the body is connected with the lower part of the water tank on one side thereof by a supply or dow-ntake pipe which is composed of sections 24, 25 connected by a union 26, and the outlet of. the body is connected with the upper part of the tank at the center thereof by an uptake or delivery pipe com osed ef sections 27, 28 which are connecte by a union 29. 13 means of the unions 26, 29 the heater can e conveniently detached from the tank for cleaning, inspection or repairing.

The underside of the water channel or conduit is closed by a diaphragm 3O consistin of a thin sheet of brass or other metal of hi h heat conductivity, thereb completing the tortuous or zig-zag form 0 the water channel between the body and the diaphragm. The latter is engaged on its underside by a retaining or reinforcing head 31 of skeleton form thereby providing a plurality of openings which uncover a plurality of areas of this diaphragm on its underside, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 so that the same is exposed to a large extent to the heating efiectof the burner flame which plays against the-same.

The body, diaphragm and head may be connected in any suita le manner but preferabl by a plurality'of bolts 32. which pass throug the marginal parts of the same and which permit of readily taking the heater apart for the purpose of .cleaning its interior in case the same becomes clogged with sediment, and also permitting of repairing or replacing. arts, so as to maintain the heater in its highest state of efliciency. 5

In order to confine the flame of the burner as long as possible against the underside of the heater themarginal part of the retaining head is provided with a depending annular flange or skirt 33 which. operates asa bame I].

and compels the flange to expend most of its heating'efl'ect on the Water in the channels before it can escape around the side of the heater.

j On the central part of the diaphragm the same may be provided with a drain cock 34: which permits the heater to be emptied of water when this is required preparatory to dismantling the same for any purpose.

As the water flows from the inlet to the outlet of the heater the same takes a tortuous path which is considerably longer than a direct line from the inlet to the outlet and the same is also spread uniformly over the entire area of the diaphragm due to the outermost section 19 of the concentric channel sections being of relatively larger capacity, thereby utilizing the entire surface of the diaphragm to the greatest advantage for 'superheating the water, and as the diaphragm is very the same very rapidly and expends its maximum heating effect on the water for quickly and economically raising the temperature of the same.

As the water is heated in the channel the same is free to expand in theexpansion cham; her and then discharged through the uptake pipe into the upper part of the tank while water of a lower temperature is carried from the lower part of the tank through the downtake pipe, thereby maintaining a constant circulation of the water through the heater and tank andkeeping all the Water at substantially the same temperature.

Owing to the rapidity with which the water is heated and the minimum loss of heat a considerable saving in fuel for heating the water is effected.

Moreover, this construction is very simple and inexpensive and not liable to get out of order, repairs or replacements can be made at small cost, and the same is also very c'ompact which renders the same specially desirable where only a small amount of space is available.

thin the heat of the flame penetrates Instead of constructing the channel in the form of a pluralit of concentric sections which are connecte with eaoh other by radial staggered passages, a prdlonged or lengthened course for the water may be obtained for more effectually heating the same by constructing this channel in the form of a volute, as shown at 35 in Fig. 5, the outer end of which is provided with the water inlet and the inner end being enlarged to form an expansion chamber having an outlet, similar to the construction shown in- Figs. 3 and 4.

I claim as my invention:

1. A water heater comprising a body provided on its underside with a water conducting channel having an inlet at -one end and an expansion chamber at the other end, said channel having an outlet, a thin metal diaphragm secured to said body so as to close the underside of said channeland expansionchamber and adapted to be subjected to heat for heating the water in said conduit, and a drain cock opening into said expansion chamber under said outlet.

2. A water heater comprising a relatively flat horizontally disposed bodyformed on its underside to provide a central expansion chamber and a circuitous passage leading to said chamber, a relatively small inlet at the outer end of said passage, a relatively large outlet for said expansion chamber, a metal diaphragm secured to the underside of said body and closing said expansion chamber and channel and means for directing heat against said diaphragm under said expansion chamber, and means for reinforcing said diaphragm and retarding the escape of heat therefrom comprising a skeleton head on the underside of said diaphragm and including a depending marginal flange and a plurality of concentric ribs.

In testimony whereof, I hereby afiix mysignature.

JAMES M. ROWLEY. 

